ongest tale that need be told of them is that, by
the furtherance of Osberne, they sped their errand well at most of the
steads of the mid and lower Dales. And they made stay for the night at
a stead hight Woodneb, which was some little way up the river from the
place where the East and West Dales held the Cloven Mote, and by
consequence not over far from the trysting-place of those twain.

At the said house that evening they were of one mind to gather a mote
there the next morning, and they sent folk that same night to bear the
war-arrow to the steads above and below, and all seemed like to go
well; and ever Osberne spake his mind without fear or favour to the
boldest and wisest that were there. But as he was laying himself down
to sleep a pang shot into his heart, for he called to mind that the
morrow was the very day of tryst at the Bight of the Cloven Knoll, and
longer it was ere he got to sleep that night than was his wont. But
when day came he was awake and few were stirring. So he arose and clad
him in his war-gear, and went out of the house and out of the garth
when it was not yet sunrise, and came down to the river and went up it
till he and the sunbeams came together to his place over against the
ness, and there he abided. But he had been there a scant half hour ere
he saw Elfhild coming up the slope, and she clad in all that fair weed
he had given her, wherein this time of spring and early summer she
mostly came to the trysting-place, and about her shoulders was a
garland of white May blossom. And when she saw him in his shifting
grey hawberk and gleaming helm, and Boardcleaver girt to his side and
the spear in his hand, she stretched out her hands to him and cried
out: "O if thou mightest but be here and thine arms about me! for now
I see that some evil hath befallen, and that thou art arrayed to go
away from me out of the Dale. And O thy war-coat and thine helm! thou
art going into peril of death, and thou so young! But I had an inkling
hereof, for there were two carles in our house last night, and they
said that there were weaponed men riding amidst the Eastdalers. Tell
me, what is it? Will ye fight in the Dale or go far from it? and then
how long dost thou look to be away?"

He spake, and his face was writhen with the coming tears, so sore his
heart was stung by her sorrow: "It is indeed true that I am come to
bid thee farewell for a while, and this is the manner of it." And
therewith he told her all as